The first and last sessions will be two hours; the first to allow meet and greet and an overview of the four chapters, our last session will be question time and recap of Chapter 1.
Each live, online session will begin with an Invocation to Patañjali, and conclude with a ten-minute practice so you can assimilate your learning and experience.
Commitment: $290 for 6 weeks. The first 10 enrolments receive a free copy of the Yogasūtras. (value $20).
Yoga cannot be separated from its age-old contemplative heritage.
As yoga has become increasingly popular and mainstream, one could ask if its original purpose has been lost.
The Sūtras represent the philosophical foundations of yoga and offer time-tested techniques to help people reduce their suffering, to take responsibility for themselves, to reflect, develop and transform. The traditional teacher/student relationship asks for the sincere commitment of both the teacher and the student, over a long time. This seems quite an ask in these days of immediate gratification, quick fixes, and moving right along to the next ‘new’ thing if we don’t see quick results.
The Yogasūtra-s lay great emphasis on cultivating positive attitudes,
explain different states and qualities of mind, outline the various causes of our suffering and recommend a path towards personal wisdom, gained through knowledge, experience and self-reflection. They outline the disciplines of body and mind that a yogi brings into all aspects of daily life.
The concept of mindfulness, of awareness is a central theme in the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali
‘I’m so excited to have the opportunity to dive deeper into the study (and understanding) of the Yoga Sutras with such a knowledgeable and experienced teacher. I truly believe that the sutras not only give a broader perspective to yoga (not just asana) as the intricate system of human vitality that it is, but helps us to embody its sacredness and bring yoga to all aspects of our life. And Deb teaches from that sacred place.’
Lisa Worley, yoga teacher, principle of Sun Yoga
This programme is for yoga teachers, serious students of yoga and those who seek a deeper understanding of yoga and their own minds, for those wishing to experience these ancient tools that help reduce their suffering;
for anyone who often thought there’s more to yoga than asanas/postures; for seekers.
Who is this course for?
You are curious!
You yearn to understand yourself and the barriers to your happiness more deeply
You wish to explore the philosophical foundation of yoga
You would like to feel more ‘authentic’ as a yoga teacher and/or a yoga practitioner
You’re tired of the same old path your mind takes and the same old reactions and would like tools for positive self-intervention
You need to generate some fresh inspiration to take responsibility for your wellbeing, emotionally and physically
You would like a better understanding of the relevance of these teachings in your life and in Yoga today
Learn how yoga philosophy can positively influence your life, wellbeing, attitudes and relationships
You would like to connect with the lineage of yoga, or better understand what this means
Feel its time to start living your yoga!
Wish to reduce your identification with ‘I’ , with the material world, and connect with your inner consciousness
You’d like to be part of a Sangha, a group of like-minded people
Who is it not for?
You are not interested!
You are happy with your yoga practice simply as exercise
You prefer modern interpretations of yoga
Rely on your social media following for your ‘authenticity’
Have no appetite for positive personal change
Prefer to blame things outside yourself for how you feel
Consider the Sūtras as irrelevant to modern yoga and modern life
If you’ve ‘done’ the Sūtra before and think you know enough
You believe the concept of lineage has no place in the world of contemporary yoga
If you view self-reflection as ‘navel gazing’
If you are inclined to begin things enthusiastically then drop away because you cannot sustain the commitment
You don’t need to ‘belong’ to any more groups
The text is written in Sanskrit comprising 195 Sūtras in four chapters. Though there is debate dating the text, it is agreed to be over 2000 years old, In the rigorous tradition of Indian scholarship and philosophical debate, many different commentaries have been written on the Yogasūtra-s, the greatest being by Sage Vyāsa.
This tradition of commentary continues to this day,
Sūtra-s are short, concise, deep and multifaceted aphorisms. The Sūtra may be brief but each one contains enormous depth and meaning.
The Teacher
My journey with the Yogasūtra-s began in 2001 at a Seminar with TKV and Menaka Desikachar called The Inner Quest; an Introduction to Antaranga Yoga, the internal spiritual disciplines of yoga. I felt like I’d dived in at the deep end, but my commitment to study and practice has strengthened with each passing year. I am a qualified Yoga Teacher, Yoga Therapist and Vedic Chant Teacher with the Krishnamacharya Healing and Yoga Foundation in Chennai and continue my studies with Menaka Desikachar and Dr Kausthub Desikachar
The first Sūtra is a call to attention, atha; the teacher has the personal experience that gives him or her the authority to teach. Moreover, the teacher is convinced the student is sincere. And from the student’s point of view there is clarity, traditionally at least “I will study yoga. I will stay with this teacher until they teach me what I can hold.’
Reference Texts:
he Yogasūtra of Patañjali $20
Truth Unclouded (2020) by TKV and Dr Kausthub Desikachar as references. $45.00
At present I have stock of both these books available on my Resources page but don’t dilly dally.
Vyāsa and other commentaries will be referred to when relevant and you are encouraged to share your interpretations.